Member-only story
Whose Project is My Project?
The number one reason to choose a career in Project Management
Today I complimented a colleague for the outstanding project preparation work and preliminary planning she’s done, and she told me something that left me wondering:
you know what… it’s easy for us, this project is our “baby”
(“us” because it’s a team of two, and neither of them is a project manager)
This left me wondering about the nature of the profession: isn’t it the point of being a Project Manager —the commitment to take full responsibility for someone else’s “baby” as if it were yours, conjure up the passion for a new topic and learn, discover, experiment new stuff, sometimes even become an apprentice and perform some easy tasks when they get into the way of those who can make better use of their time (you know, the “servant leader” thing).
That’s how I live it and what motivates me.
And then, when it’s done and you put down the empty glass at the end of the party for the successful closure, make the most romantic thing: walk away from the topic you learned to like, leave it in the hands of the skilled people whom you guided to success, and move on to the next one. Because it’s not your baby.
And how do you feel about your projects — samurai or rōnin?
Note: I am quite unhappy with the “samurai-vs-rōnin” metaphor for at least three reasons: I don’t like war-based metaphors, it’s not 100% accurate, and it’s 0% inclusive. If you have a better one, please let me know in the comments below, I’ll edit (and credit, of course) with great pleasure.
